The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-03-11
TIE pITTsDUl.Gu END.
How tho Baltimore & Ohio Denl Is We've
Ia Tint City,

How tho Baltimore l. ohio Denl Is viowct
III That City.
PlrTsDuEau, March 10.-Tho Chronicl
Telegraph to-day has the following:
Business men generally discussed the
great syndicate deal to-day, Opinion ss
to It's effects on the railroad syatems i'm
mediately concerned varied greatly. Some
thought It would strengthen ind render al
OF them more valuable; others took the
opposite view.
Mr.. Ralph Bagaley was asked what ho
thought OF 1t and eaid In substance: 1.-THE
tendency Of tho aye in this country is
toward the creation Of great monopolies,
and this will be one OF them. This is a
bad thing for the country in ono way, and
good thing In another. The formation
Of the Standard OIL Company has resulted
in crushing out hundreds Of email refiners
and operators In oil, but 1t has given uu
cheaper md better illuminating oil than
We would have had without its aid. It
has improved aud greatly cheapened tho
processes Of manufacture. The result OF
this vast railroad combination will be
aomeShat similar. It will give the
people cheaper aud better rates OF trans.
portatiou, because 1t viii! reduce tho oper.
ating expenses.
"The Baltimore 4 Ohio has always been
the unruly child OF the trunk line family.
and every few weeks or months would dis.
arrange matters by shooting off at a tan
gent. 1t will be good thing for the other
great 5yetems have 1t under control aud
operate in harmony with them. But if
there should be active competition be-
tween tho syndfcase's lines and the other
trunk systems, it will be necessary for
them to practically rebuild the Baltimore
Il Ohio from end to end. It's alignment is
bad and its trackage simply wrecked.
Only by bringing it mp to the highest state
Of perfection and efficiency can they hope
to compete successfully with the PennByl-
vanis, The New York Central or even the
Erie eyBtem.
"Speaking Of q probable reduction in
traffic rates, it is worth remarking that the
decline il freight chargea within the last
twenty-five years has been phenomenal.
Do you know that twenty-five years ago a
bill was introduced in the Pennsylvania
Legislature forbidding the Philadelphia &
Reading Railway Company from charging
more than three cents per ton per mile
for carrying freightr It ia a fact. Now
the charges range from one.iourth to one
half or tive-sigh,hs cents per ton Der
mile, az 10 the class Of freight. And be-
lieve that even lower rates will vet be
"As 10 the general effect Of tho great
deal on the roadu interested, it seems TO
me it must be good. 1t will, for one thing,
prevent diaastrous rate wss8 20 frequent
IL the past. twill give the jersey Cen
tral plenty CT business and render it q
profitable property. 1t will give the Bal.
limore 4 Ohio an entrance to New York
City over tho tracks Of the Jersey Central
and save the immenae cost OF q new line
thither.-lt will greatly. strengthen the
Southern system by bringing It under 4
moro efficient management aud giving it
better connections"
Day before yesterday Baltimore & Ohio
stock sold ut l60. and advanced. before the
cloee Of tho day to ITO. Yesterday it sold
up to $50, and to-day it could not be had
at any price, bids OF 200 failing to bring
out any Of the shares. Just why it should
have advanced GO rapidly is a puzzle to
Experienced stock men, since the result OF
such a change aa that just announced is
usually to depreciate all stock outside Of
| the controlling intereat,